Pembrokeshire

Pembrokeshire's population increased by about 8,300 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population passed 120,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Pembrokeshire increased by 7.3%, from about 114,000 to 122,000.

The addition of about 8,300 people means this area's population increased faster than the rate of growth across Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Pembrokeshire was home to, on average, 0.54 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was similar to the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Pembrokeshire

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Pembrokeshire increased by three years, from 42 to 45 years.

This area had a slightly lower average age than Powys (one of the most statistically similar areas to Pembrokeshire based on ONS area classifications) (46 years of age) and the third-highest average age in Wales.

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 4,100 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by about 2,000.

About 14.0% of people in Pembrokeshire are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Fall in proportion of Welsh speakers

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Pembrokeshire fell from 21.5% to 19.3% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 900 fewer people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 9,110.

In Carmarthenshire (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Pembrokeshire), 43.9% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, down from 50.1% at the 2001 census. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50.1% to 43.9%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was higher than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in rate of employment

Pembrokeshire saw Wales' second-largest rise in the proportion of employed people.

During this period, Pembrokeshire fell below Gwynedd to become the Wales local authority area with the third-lowest percentage of employed people.

In 2011, just under one in two (46.3%) people aged 16 to 74 in Pembrokeshire said they were employed, compared with 41.7% in 2001. The percentage that were unemployed increased from 3.9% to 4.0%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of employed people occurred in Merthyr Tydfil (from 44.4% to 50.2%).

The rate of employment was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 that said they were employed across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Private renting increased in Pembrokeshire, but at a slower rate than all other local authority areas in Wales, except Powys.

Across Wales, the proportion of privately rented homes increased from 8.6% to 14.1% between the last two censuses, while the proportion in nearby Carmarthenshire increased from 7.9% to 11.8%.

In 2011, just under one in seven (13.5%) households in Pembrokeshire rented privately, compared with 11.1% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 17.4% to 15.7%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of privately rented homes occurred in Powys (from 12.5% to 14.8%).

Private renting was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households that rented privately across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Pembrokeshire

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Pembrokeshire was among those who said they had no religion, rising 12.4 points.

In 2011, 29.8% of respondents in Pembrokeshire gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 17.3% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion that described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Pembrokeshire, 68.6% said they were Christian, compared with 81.8% in 2001. About 0.0% said they were Sikh, compared with 0.0% 10 years prior.

The percentage of people who disclosed a religious affiliation and did not state their religion increased from 7.6% to 8.2%.

In Pembrokeshire, 8.2% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.6% in 2001. In Wales, 7.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 8.1% in 2001. Across England, 7.6% of people did not answer, compared with 8.1% in 2001.

the population without a religion in Pembrokeshire increased by 12 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Pembrokeshire residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 11.2% to 6.8% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just under 8 in 10 (77.9%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 65.6% in 2001. The percentage of Pembrokeshire residents that described their health as fair decreased from 23.1% to 15.3%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a slower rate here than in nearby Carmarthenshire (which remained close 8.4%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Pembrokeshire decreased by 4.4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Pembrokeshire working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 15.3% to 12.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just under 1 in 30 (3.0%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 2.0% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to nearby Carmarthenshire (which remained close 11.1%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.0% to 9.3%.

Long hour working in Pembrokeshire decreased by 3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Wales that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

Changes in family structure

The percentage of households in Pembrokeshire with children decreased from 29.8% to 27.1% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just over 6 in 10 (63.4%) households had no children, compared with 61.4% in 2001. The percentage of households in Pembrokeshire with only adult children living with their parents increased from 8.8% to 9.5%.

The proportion of households with children fell faster here than in nearby Carmarthenshire (which remained close 27.7%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 30.2% to 28.2%.

The proportion of households with children was lower than across Wales

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Pembrokeshire, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 6.7% to 8.7% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over 3 in 10 (30.9%) households had only one person, compared with 28.5% in 2001. The percentage of households in Pembrokeshire which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 37.9% to 33.1%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to nearby Carmarthenshire (which remained close 8.8%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 7.5% to 9.7%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Pembrokeshire increased by 2.1 percentage points

Percentage of households in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

More adults are separated from partners

The percentage of adults in Pembrokeshire that had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased from 10.7% to 12.3% in the decade to 2011.

In 2011, just over one in two (50.5%) people aged 16 and over said they were married, compared with 55.5% in 2001. The percentage of single people in Pembrokeshire increased from 24.1% to 28.4%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a married or civil partner increased at a similar rate to nearby Carmarthenshire (which remained close 11.9%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 10.6% to 11.8%.

The proportion of people who had divorced or separated from a marriage or civil partner was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they had divorced or broken up with a married or civil partner across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Pembrokeshire residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.5% to 1.7% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 3.1%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to nearby Carmarthenshire (which remained close 1.9%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.5% to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Pembrokeshire remained close to 1.7%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire by care, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Pembrokeshire

The percentage of Pembrokeshire residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 7.4% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 4.5%, while the percentage of Pembrokeshire residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 87.6%.

The proportion of people who are slightly limited by a long-term health problem or disability increased at a similar rate to nearby Carmarthenshire (which remained close 7.3%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 7.2% to 6.9%.

The proportion of people who are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported being slightly limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

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